This chapter is dedicated to the lady who loves dragons. You know who you are!
Myfanwy.
Ianto liked Saturdays. It was one of Jack's big changes. It was one day of the week they had set up a new routine. Jack had argued that there were seven days in the week and one day had to be getting things ready for the other six. It had taken some getting used to, and he had struggled with the idea, but as long as they did everything in order he could handle that.
Saturdays meant helping. He liked helping with even the little things because it made him feel good. He didn't like it when things got too messy and always put things away, but he also liked them clean. So cleaning and tidying up were good fun.
His first job was to gather all the dirty towels, and things off the bed. Then he took all the things that needed washing to the laundry where he helped separate everything. Loading the washing machine was fun but you had to be careful you didn't put too many things in otherwise the machine made a funny noise. Carefully Jack showed him how to measure out the powder. He still got confused sometimes and Jack had to remind him many times how to do it. He always checked he had it right and he felt all warm inside when Jack gave him the thumbs up sign. He loved the way the washing machine worked and sometimes he pulled up a chair and watched everything sloshing about. The machine worked very hard getting all their clothes clean.
If the weather was good he hung the washing outside. This was his job and he liked it very much because it was outside and he got to use the pegs. There were so many colours, and he made special care not to drop any on the lawn otherwise they disappeared without a trace. He took a long time making sure everything was spaced out just right with two pegs for everything except socks which only needed one each.
If it was too windy or wet they put all the washing in the dryer. Well not everything, because if you put some things in they came out smaller. Which he thought was very funny until it was his favourite jumper. He had tried to fix it by trying to wear it but Jack said it was ruined. He hated that word. So now he was extra careful checking everything he put in.
Some things never went into the washing machine or dryer because they were too special, like Myfanwy the large plush yellow and green dragon Jack had given him which he really loved. He had seen her picture in the Big Store Catalogue and put a big ring around it with his pen and folded the corner of the page, to make sure when he was looking through he didn't forget which page she was on. Jack said it was a birthday present. He had no idea what a birthday was but he loved the present anyway and carried her around the house where ever he went. He had given Jack a big thank you kiss after he took her out the box. It never ceased to amaze him how Jack knew exactly what he liked. He could never dare ask for what he really wanted because that was choosing but he had wanted to choose her very much. She looked so lonely on the page like she needed to be cuddled and loved. She was so much bigger than in the picture and from head to tail was 36 inches long. He was so happy she was here right now sitting watching on the chair keeping him company. She was all soft and she never minded if he laid on her a bit or used her as a pillow.
Jack had asked him why he chose to call her Myfanwy but he couldn't think. All he could say was Myfanwy felt like the right name. She never went in the washing machine and dryer because Jack said she was delicate. Good because she wouldn't like it in the washing machine being all sloshed about in the water getting bumped. If she got grubby Jack cleaned her very carefully with a damp cloth. He tried very hard not to get her dirty because he wanted to keep her forever, because she was his special birthday gift from Jack and something he had wanted with all his heart.
It would take some time for the washing to be done so he picked up Myfanwy and took her to the lounge where he started his next job. Placing her down on the big chair so she could see him, he left for a moment to get the long duster that Jack had bought off the television. Ianto had pointed out the duster during an infomercial. Jack bought it with his magic card. Another thing he didn't understand. All he could remember was Jack had spoken on the telephone and pulled out his gold card. Then after several days the duster arrived along with loads of others big and small dusters. Ianto had been right; they were perfect. Making sure he took real care he dusted all the surfaces. He made sure he included all the tops of the picture frames and other hard-to-reach places.
Just as he finished he heard the washing machine stop. Picking up Myfanwy he went to hang the washing out. He was glad to be outside because Jack was getting out the vacuum cleaner. He hated it. It was too loud, and he made sure he was as far away as he could get. Sometimes he had to stand at the end of the garden with his fingers in his ears. He concentrated hanging out the towels and lining them up in order of size.
He smiled as he chatted away to the dragon, telling her exactly what he was doing and what colour pegs he was using. He liked everything colour co-ordinated. The wind was just right; not too windy. Once one of the sheets had been blown off the washing line despite him using twenty pegs to hold it down. It flew over the wall and down the hill. He has gotten upset but then he and Jack had walked around and rescued it. It was all dirty and has to be re-washed. The basket was empty and now he could hear Jack stopped using the vacuum cleaner and he knew it was time to help Jack make the bed.
Taking Myfanwy Ianto made his way upstairs two steps at a time. He was only allowed to do this going up because it was too dangerous going down, so he only did it if Jack wasn't looking. He saw Jack had all the sheets and new duvet cover out. He like this one, it was blue with seashells on it. Working together they stretched out the fitted sheets and placed the ends over the corners. Then he put on the new pillow cases.
"How is Myfanwy today?" Jack asked knowing how Myfanwy was feeling was often an insight into how Ianto was feeling.
"She's happy, she liked being outside while I hung the washing out," he said as he now picked up a pillow and put on the pillow case. He took a deep sniff. He loved the smell of clean things.
"So she's not feeling like she could flame everyone today?" Jack said as he saw Ianto pick her up and put her mouth to his ear and listened.
"No she loves helping so no flaming today," Ianto told him matter-of-factly.
"Tent's," Ianto called out, now handed the duvet cover and holding a corner each they made it billow up, forming a dome. Ianto ducked his head so he was underneath and got wrapped up as Jack tickled him. He burst out into a fit of giggles as he rolled around on the bed.
"You are a rascal," Jack told him as he untangled him.
"I know I'm a big rascal," Ianto agreed as he now tried his best to wrestle the duvet into the cover.
Fluffing it Jack let it settle. Ianto threw himself on it to get all the air out of it and he joined him wrapping his arms around him as Ianto leapt up grabbed Myfanwy and jumped back.
"She gets lonely if she misses out on a cuddle," he admitted as Jack who now wrapped his arms around both of them.
Jack held Ianto close with the dragon between them giving Ianto a quick tickle. It was hard to believe that finally Ianto had gotten around to enjoying Saturday clean ups. Jack's determination has won out over Ianto's stubbornness when it came to change. It had been a battle royal helped in part by a fabulous stuffed toy called Myfanwy. He had been wracking his brains on what to get him for his birthday. Ianto had no concept of birthdays and or presents. Unable to ask for anything, he couldn't ask Ianto what he wanted outright. Any kind of questions that led to a choice were out of bounds, but it had all been solved by the arrival of a shop catalogue.
For many of the islanders it was a bit of trek over to the mainland involving a ferry trip, so they relied on ordering off the internet or by catalogue. It had been late one evening when he was looking through the one Morag had given him to order some clothes because she held an agency, when he saw Ianto had marked out several things. One in particular had been marked heavily and the page corner was turned down. He realised Ianto had looked through and noted something he liked; in this case a large gaudy yellow and green plush toy dragon.
He smiled in remembrance of Ianto's reaction at finding the box on the floor of the lounge. He had looked at Jack in wonderment as he opened the box. He immediately hugged the toy then burst into tears telling the toy she was now safe and immediately named her Myfanwy.
Ianto only put it down to shower, eat or go to the toilet or if they left the house. Ianto had a new friend like Marigold. This friend however could live with him at all times. He told Jack she was special because she also wanted to flame the whole world and hated being locked in the book. She never argued back, agreed with everything he said and liked everything he did. He talked to her; most of it was dialogue of what he was doing. 'I'm going to watch a disc' type conversation but some of it Jack noted was Ianto working through the change in their routine. As each week rolled over, Ianto seemed more able to cope. He had gone from hiding in the bedroom in a sulk while Jack worked away to wanting to help. When Jack asked Ianto about it he said Myfanwy reminded him cleaning was good and her telling him that made him remember.
Deep in thought he found himself being dragon attacked as Ianto now chased him around the house and as Jack begged not to be flamed. Laughing, he kept moving, ducking and diving just out of reach. He saw Ianto racing towards him so he ran into the garden…suddenly he found himself on his knees curled up with Ianto standing over him looking worried.
"Myfanwy says sorry she was not really going to flame you," he said his eyes wide with worry.
Taking a moment Jack brought himself back. 'Damn that had not happened for a while,' he said to himself as stood up shakily. He closed his eyes for a moment while he suppressed the memory. He heart beat wildly; for a moment he was back on the Valiant with the Master standing over him a flame thrower in his hand. He cursed; sometimes the smallest thing would trigger a flashback. Clearly his control was slipping. Tonight he must make sure there was no more bleed throughs. He would put Ianto to bed and strengthen the blocks so they couldn't break down not now, not ever, Ianto needed him and his pledge to Ianto was absolute.
He took a deep breath and pulled Ianto into a hug. "Jack is fine and I think it's time for lunch," he declared as he led Ianto into the kitchen.